'Directing a remake helped me strengthen Vandhaan Vendraan's script'

Is it true that you had to struggle for 15 years before you made your first movie? Could you tell us something about those years?

I came to the industry as an assistant to veteran director Manobala. I started off assisting in TV serials and later with the help of Suhasini madam (Mani Ratnam's wife), I got an opportunity to assist Mani Ratnam. That's my journey before I became an independent director.

Kandein Kadhalai, a remake, was a hit. How come you decide to do a remake?

I remade Kandein Kadhalai so that I could get more time to work on the script of Vandhaan Vendraan. Directing a remake helped me strengthen Vandhaan Vendraan's story and make innovations in the script.

'Santhanam is a director's artist'

Did Santhanam stick to the script or did he improvise the comedy scenes?

He follows the script 90 per cent of the time but sometimes when we feel improvisation is needed, we don't hesitate to implement his ideas. Santhanam has a real good attitude and is a director's artist.

How important is music in your films?

Music has played a very important role in all my three films. I make extra efforts to sit with the music composer to get a quality product.

'I will start working on my next script only after Vandhaan Vendraan is released'

I consider film to be an entertaining medium and as a film maker it's my duty to entertain my audience. Yes, there are no songs and fights in real life, but if as a filmmaker I can make the audience happy through songs and fights, then why not?As your first two movies were hits, was there more pressure on you when making this movie?

Be it first or third, there will definitely be pressure. Crores of rupees are involved in production. So there will be pressure.

What are your future plans?

I want to concentrate on the promotion of Vandhaan Vendraan now and release it. Later, I will start working on my next script.